Mute for stringed musical instruments



June 1931- R. R. PAGE 1,809,311

MUTE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUIENTS Filed June 14, 1929 Ja BY I 7 ATTORNEY Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES ROBERT R. PAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUTE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application filed June 14,

Our present invention relates to stringed musical instruments and has for its principal object an improvement in mutes therefor.

The mute herein is intended for use with bridged musical instruments such as violins, banjos, ukuleles, and the like although as disclosed herein it is applied to a characteristic banjo structure.

One of the objects of the present device is to provide a mute which is carried upon the tailpiece of a stringed instrument, such tailpiece being suitably modified to permit the mute to be movably carried thereon in close association with the string bridge of such instrument, whereby it may be manually and quickly moved into and out of muting contact with said bridge to modify the tone qualities of the instrument.

Another object is to mount the mute so that it is firmly located when out of muting position under or near one hand of the player for such instant manipulation as may be desired.

Another object is to insure that the mute,

when in muting contact with the bridge of the instrument, is in firm contact so that the muting or damping action of the bridgeengaged mute is substantially free of mechanical restraint and enabled to exercise 3 such control of the vibrations of the sounding portion of the instrument as to permit a carrying or sustained resonance thereof.

Another object is to provide a mute which may be carried upon a tail piece as above de- 35 scribed, which coacts with said tail piece and interassociate guiding means therebetween whereby themute may be instantly and accurately guided into a firm muting engagement with the bridge of the instrument.

40 Another object is to provide a mute wherein the bridge-contactive faces are of a taperin g nature whereby to firmly engage the mute in a non-slipping wedging engagement.

These and other objects will be appre- 46 hended as the description proceeds and it is obvious that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit hereof or the sco e of the claims.

eferring to the drawings,

50 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a 1929. Serial No. 370,987.

stringed instrument illustrating the mute in contact with the bridge in full lines and in normal position out of engagement with the bridge indicated by the dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows showing the mute engaging the bridge.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2,' Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows with the muting member removed.

Fig. 4 is a transverse view in elevation of the muting member.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view in perspective of the muting member.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a string instrument illustrating a modified muting member contacting the sides of the bridge.

Fig. 7 is a view taken online 77 Fig. 6, in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings 10 designates a wooden banjo rim suitably securing the spacing plate fr'ame"11 carrying the annular frame band 12. The plate frame 11 is provided with groove 13 comprising aseat to which is preferably secured the tone ring 14 and disposed over the latter and in contact therewith is the diaphragm or vellum 15 which is stretched taut and extended over the upper portion of frame band 12 and downwardly engaging the outer face thereof terminating in a hollow bead 16 or reflexed portion in which is mounted the flesh ring 17.

The strain ring 18 suitably holds the diaphragm 15 against the frame band 12 and bead 16 against the flesh ring. The above described structure is adapted for any stringed instrument, but as illustrated in the drawings, forms the foundation for one form of a banjo, but it is to be understood that it may be applied to other forms of banjos and to ukuleles, mandolins or the like.

Extending over diaphragm 15 and in spaced relation therewith is the cantilever tail piece member 19 comprising an elon- 9!; gated plate preferably of flat metal, including the flared enlarged portion 20 merging into a narrow, resilient guide arm 21, which extends radially of the banjo and projects into the cut away portion or opening 22 be- 100 lit tween the feet of a string supporting bridge 23 and beyond the bridge terminating in the free portion 24.. v

The enlarged flared portion is provided with an integral downwardly depending flange abutting the strain ring 18 and is preferably fastened to the frameband 12 by means ofsuitable studs 26.

. Preferably fastened to the tail piece 19 on the arm 21 is theflat strip spring tongue 27 which is secured to arm 21 byrivets or screws 28. Tongue27 extends longitudinally of arm 21'and extends towards the bridge 23 and away from the arm due to its resiliency projecting through bridge opening 23 over the freeportion 24 and in spaced relation thereto. The downwardly depending flange 25 is provided with a plurality of spaced slotted members 29, for securing the knotted end of the banjo strings which extend over diaphragm 15 being supported in the spaced grooves 31 on bridge member 23; q

- The mute generally'denoted by 32 comprises a body 33, preferably of wood, having a downwardly slopingtop face 34; to which is secured a mute encompassing metal plate 35 embodying the tapering, arcuately disposed integral wings or sides 36 (see Fig. 5.) which are curved to snugly embrace the chamfered or curved sides 37and underfaces 38 of the underface of mute body 33. These underfaces 38 are formed by cutting a longitudinal tail piece guide channel co-extensive of the length of mute 33 to form asliding guide way 39 to [it upon the tail piece extension 24.

.The curved wings 37 terminate into longitudinal'marginal reflexed portions 39 hearing snuglyagainst theadjacent outer margin-s of each ledge 38 thereby providinga firm conection for the body 33 with themetal plate-35 without employing any independent fastening-means. r The guide channel 39 is bridged over by the transverse metal strap or guide plate, 41-0 fastened to the underfaces 38 byv rivets 41 or the like.

Secured adjacent the rear end of the mute is the accessible and manipulatable -post 42 which is attachcdto the mute by a screw43 countersunl-i in the web-38' and extending through the metal plate 35. It will be noted that the front or tapering noseportion A l of themute is,v rounded as'at 45 and isthinner than the rear end of the mute thereby to form an inclined wedge face to beeasilyv wedged between} the inside of the feet, forming the opening 22 in bridge 23. V r V In use, thespringpressure tongue27 and arm 21 of the tail piece are passed into the guide channel 39 and between the strap or guide plate 40 in such mannerthat the tongue 27 and arm 21 extend longitudinally through guide channel 39. 7 i Normally, the mute is in the position shown by the dotted linesin Fig.1, that is, in nonmuting relation upon the tail piece and out of contact with the bridge and when it is desired to modulate the tone of the instrument, the mute is moved by manually actuating member 12 to slide the wedge face of the mute into engagement into the opening 22 of the brid ge., The stud 42 is arranged between the center strings,1that is between thesecond and third strings but in no way contacts the latter.

Thus, it follows that the mute can be quickly slidin'to and out ofmuting engagement with thebridge y 7 hen the'mute member is out of contact with the bridge, it is maintained in such inoperative position by the pressure of the spring tongue .27 in the guide channel 39.

' hen the mute is wedged against the bridge inmuting contact therewith owing to the length. and resiliency of the tail piece guide extension arm 21, the rigidengagement of the mute with the bridge causes the vihra: tions of the resonating part of the instrument to be dan ped, without, howeye-r, breaking downthe sustained, vibratory tone frequencies. They aredamped, but not shortened in vibrating peri0ds.- V r I In the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 6 and 7, themute 50.is substantially identical. in construction with the species disclosed in Figs..1 to.5 inclusive the exception being that v V the muteis forked embodying the laterally extending forwardly projecting arms 51 and 52 including the inwardly disposed muting faces53 and 5 l respectively adapted to engage. the external end faces '55 and56 of bridge 23 for mutinglthe instrument.

The tongue 59and tail piece. extension .60

are guided between strap 61 and the guide channel '62 whereby the mute may. be moved into and out of engagement with the bridge o by the stud '63, and thus be directed either 1 the bridge,;as willbe apparent.

Thus, it will benoted that I have provided into muting engagement with or away from a mute that may. be carried permanently I uponthe desired nstrument, wlthout interthereon an extension, a mute body having thereon a taperedpart slidably.niountedvon saideXtension, a means for slidi g-said body on said extension With said p'artthereof into wedglngengagement with saidbrid'geand a means for normally holding said body on said extension in nonmuting position with said part thereon out of engagement with said bridge.

2. In a stringed musical instrument a tail piece, having thereon an extension, a bridge and a mute body, having thereon a tapered part, slidably mounted on said extension and disposed to he slid on said extension with said part thereof into wedging engagement with the underside of said bridge, thereby muting the instrument.

3. The element-s of claim 1 combined with a resilient tongue on said extension for retaining said body with said part thereof in resilient wedging engagement with said bridge when said body is in muting position.

4. The elements of claim 1, said body having thereon longitudinally extending tapered arms, having thereon inwardly disposed tapered muting faces, to wedgingly engage the end faces of said bridge.

5. The elements of claim Lsaid body having thereon at the underside thereof a longitudinally disposed guide channel to fit said extension, wherel'iyto guide said body in its sliding motion on said extension into and out of muting position.

6. The elements of claim 1, combined with a resilient means, disposed to react at one end thereof on said extension and at the other end thereof on said body, whereby to retain said body on said extension with said part thereof in wedging engagement with said bridge when said body is in muting position.

7. The elements of claim 1, said body comprising a wooden base and a metal plate encompassin g the same, said plate having thereon arcuately disposed integral wings curved to snugly embrace the sides of said base, thereby securing the latter to said plate.

8. The elements of claim 1, said body having thereon underfaces, extending to the underside of said extension and said body having thereon a guide plate, fastened at the underside of said guide faces, to form a bridge over said extension, thereby retaining said body on said extension against any upwardly acting force tending to lift the same.

9. In a stringed musical instrument having thereon a bridge, a tail piece having thereon an extension, a mute body having thereon a tapered part slidably mounted on said extension, a. means for sliding said body on said extension with said part thereof into wedging engagement with said bridge, a means for normally holding said body on said extension in non-muting postion with said part thereon out of engagement with said bridge, a resilient tongue on said extension for retaining said body with said part thereof in resilient wedging engagement with said bridge when said body is in muting position, said body having thereon a member to act as an abutment for the underside of said extension whereby said body may be retained by said tongue in position on said extension when said body is in unmuting position.

10. In a stringed musical instrument having thereon a bridge, a tail piece having thereon an extension, a mute body having thereon a tapered part slidably mounted on said extension, a means for sliding said body on said extension with said part thereof into wedging engagement with said bridge and a means for normally holding said body on said extension in non-muting position with said part thereon out of engagement with said bridge, a resilient means disposed to react at one end thereof on said extension and at the other end thereof on said body whereby to retain said body on said extension with said part thereof in wedging engagement with said bridge when said body is in muting position, said body having thereon a member to act as an abutment for said extension whereby said body may be retained by said resilient means in position on said extension when said body is in unmuting position.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 12th day of June, A. D. 1929.

ROBERT R. PAGE. 

